Shortlist for European Literature Award shows a wide variety of source languages

The shortlist for the Dutch Europese Literatuurprijs (http://www NULL.europeseliteratuurprijs NULL.nl/) [European Literature Award] for 2016 has been published and shows a beautiful diversity in source languages. It is an example of the wealth in translated literature available for readers in a small-language country. This year’s laureates are: Soumission (Onderworpen) by Michel Houellebecq (France) and translator Martin de Haan, Neljäntienristeys (Waar vier wegen samenkomen) by Tommi Kinnunen (Finland) and translator Sophie Kuiper, Mees, kes teadis ussisõnu (De man die de taal van slangen sprak) by Andrus Kivirähk (Estonia) and translator Jesse Niemeijer, Vielleicht Esther (Misschien Esther) by Katja Petrowskaja (Ukraine, written in German) and translator Wil Hansen, and last but not least Terre rare (Zeldzame aarden) by Sandro Veronesi (Italy) and translator Rob Gerritse.

The Europese Literatuurprijs is awarded to a novel written in any of the member languages of the Council of Europe and to the Dutch translation of that novel. It was established by the Academic Cultural Centre SPUI25 (http://www NULL.spui25 NULL.nl/), the Dutch Foundation for Literature (http://www NULL.letterenfonds NULL.nl/en/), the weekly magazine De Groene Amsterdammer (http://www NULL.groene NULL.nl/home) and the bookshop Athenaeum Boekhandel (http://www NULL.athenaeum NULL.nl/) with the aim of celebrating Europe’s literary diversity and cultural richness. The Europese Literatuurprijs is supported by Stichting Lira (http://www NULL.lira NULL.nl/About-LIRA), the Dutch copyright organisation for writers, translators and freelance journalists, and the Lancey & De La Hanty Foundation, promoter of special cultural projects. The award amounts to €15,000, with two-thirds being awarded to the writer and one third to the translator. The prize was first awarded in 2011, to Trois femmes puissantes (Drie sterke vrouwen) by Marie NDiaye and translator Jeanne Holierhoek. In 2012 the prize was awarded to The Sense of an Ending (Alsof het voorbij is) by Julian Barnes and translator Ronald Vlek, in 2013 to Limonov (Limonov) by Emmanuel Carrère and translators Katrien Vandenberghe and Katelijne de Vuyst, in 2014 to Le sermon sur la chute de Rome (De preek over de val van Rome) by Jérôme Ferrari and translators Jan Pieter van der Sterre and Reintje Goos, and in 2015 to Aller Tage Abend (Een handvol sneeuw) by Jenny Erpenbeck (Germany) and translator Elly Schipper.